Sheehan announces $50,000 to help clean and restore the St. Mary’s River

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Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie announced today $50,000 in federal support, on behalf of the Honourable Catherine McKenna, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, to help clean and restore the St. Marys River.

The funds will be used to develop a sediment management strategy, advance fish habitat restoration, and hire a Remedial Action Plan Coordinator. This project will help coordinate interagency planning and engage Indigenous and community stakeholders in the St. Marys River restoration process.

Terry noted that this is just one example of the government’s efforts to improve the environment.

“Improving our environment, including the St. Marys River, also improves the health outcomes of people living in Sault Ste. Marie,” Terry said, “and that’s something I will always get behind.”

The St. Marys River is identified as an important ecological area under the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, and the Government of Canada is committed to restoring the beneficial uses of the St. Marys River through its Action Plans.

Dr. Pedro Antunes of Algoma University is very pleased with the announcement.

“We are tremendously grateful for the support we receive from the government to safeguard the St. Marys River. This project is instrumental to facilitate collaboration among stakeholders towards a common vision. The project is also an important reminder that, when it comes to pollution, decision-making is intergenerational, involving long-lasting economical, social and environmental costs that can be difficult to anticipate,” said Dr. Antunes.

This $50,000 announcement comes on the heels of a similar $24,000 announcement this past December. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has assigned over $188,000 to Algoma University to help clean and restore the St. Marys River.